nought
gb/nˈɔt/ us/nˈɔt/
B2
English
~ 26300
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
quantity
1
the number zero
The number 0; the same as "zero", used especially in British English for numbers and scores.
Usage pattern:
nought point [number]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "nought" is a different number from "zero". In modern English, especially British English, "nought" and "zero" refer to the same number (0); "nought" is just a different word and is less common in scientific English than "zero".
Synonyms
zero (The standard and more common word in most varieties of English, especially in mathematics and science.)
|
nil (Used especially for scores in some sports like football (soccer); slightly more specialized than "nought".)
Antonyms
one (The next positive whole number after zero, opposite to the idea of having no units.)
Collocations
nought point five
|a score of nought
|nought out of ten
|from nought to sixty
Themes
mathematics
|sports
|education
|science
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The interest rate was cut to nought point five percent.
- England lost three–nought in the final.
- My test score was nought out of ten, so I have to study harder.
- By the year 2100, the goal is to reach net nought carbon emissions.
Learner examples
- The temperature fell to nought degrees last night.
- She got nought out of ten on the quiz.
- The car goes from nought to sixty in six seconds.
- The result was nought, so we tried again.
Noun
literary
C1
state
2
nothing; no result
Nothing; no result or success, often used in literary English or in fixed phrases like "come to nought".
Usage pattern:
[efforts]/[plans] come to nought
Common mistake:
Learners may try to use "nought" for "nothing" in everyday speech. In modern English this sounds unusual or old-fashioned except in fixed phrases like "come to nought". In normal conversation, use "nothing" instead.
Synonyms
nothing (The normal, everyday word; "nought" sounds more formal or literary and is less common in free use.)
|
failure (Focuses on not succeeding; "nought" focuses on the result being zero or nothing.)
Antonyms
something (Indicates the existence of some amount, result, or thing, the opposite of having nothing.)
|
success (Emphasizes achieving a good result rather than ending with nothing.)
Collocations
come to nought
|bring to nought
|set at nought
Themes
general
|success
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- All their careful planning came to nought when the company went bankrupt.
- Years of negotiation were brought to nought by a single careless remark.
- His promises were set at nought by his later actions.
Learner examples
- All my plans came to nought in the end.
- Their work came to nought after the project was closed.
- The talks came to nought, and no agreement was made.
Noun
B2
entity
3
O symbol in grid games
The round sign "O" that one player uses in the game noughts and crosses (tic-tac-toe).
Usage pattern:
place a nought in [a square]
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize that "nought" here refers specifically to the O-shaped game piece, not just the number 0 in mathematics.
Synonyms
O (The letter name and visual symbol; "nought" names the game piece in this context.)
Antonyms
cross (The X-shaped symbol used by the other player in the same game, contrasting with the O-shaped nought.)
Collocations
noughts and crosses
|draw a nought
|place a nought
Themes
games
|daily life
|arts_entertainment
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She drew a nought in the middle square and blocked his line.
- In this round, you are noughts and I am crosses.
- The children took turns putting noughts and crosses on the paper grid.
Learner examples
- He put a nought in the top left box.
- You are noughts and I am crosses.
- I drew a nought in the last empty square.
Grammar
Dictionary form
nought
IPA
GB/nˈɔt/
US/nˈɔt/
Syllables & stress
nought (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (nought)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: nought
- Plural: nought, noughts
Word family
Forms
noughts
noun
Related words
naught
noun C1
Expressions
bring to nought
1/bɹˈɪŋ tə nˈɔt/
idiom
literary
to completely defeat or ruin
To completely stop plans, hopes, or efforts so that they give no result.
Examples
- Economic crisis brought their expansion plans to nought.
- A last-minute injury brought the team’s championship hopes to nought.
- The court ruling brought the new policy to nought.
come to nought
1/kˈʌm tə nˈɔt/
idiom
literary
to end in complete failure
To end with no result or success, after work or effort has been made.
Examples
- All their hopes of reform came to nought after the election.
- Years of research came to nought when the funding was cut.
- His careful plans came to nought because of one simple mistake.
from nought to sixty
1/fɹˈʌm nˈɔt tə sˈɪksti/
idiom
to increase very quickly
To go from not moving or not doing something to doing it very fast or very strongly, in a very short time.
Examples
- The argument went from nought to sixty in a matter of seconds.
- This little car can go from nought to sixty in under seven seconds.
- Her stress level went from nought to sixty when the deadline was moved up.
nought out of ten
1/nˈɔt ˈaʊt əv tˈɛn/
fixed phrase
a score of zero out of ten
A way to say that something gets a score of 0 points from a possible 10 points, often used for strong criticism.
Examples
- That film gets nought out of ten from me.
- For customer service, I’d give them nought out of ten.
- The dish looked so bad it was a clear nought out of ten.
noughts and crosses
1/nˈɔts ˈænd kɹˈɔsɪz/
fixed phrase
tic-tac-toe game (BrE)
A simple game, usually for two people, where one player uses X and the other uses O. They take turns writing them in a 3×3 box, trying to make three in a row. (British English name for "tic-tac-toe".)
Examples
- The children sat on the floor playing noughts and crosses.
- We used bottle tops to play noughts and crosses on the beach.
- Do you want to play a quick game of noughts and crosses before dinner?
set at nought
1/sˈɛt ˈæt nˈɔt/
idiom
archaic
to treat as worthless
To think that a person, rule, or idea has no value and to act as if it is not important at all (old-fashioned).
Examples
- He set at nought the advice of his elders.
- They set at nought the law and did as they pleased.
- Her warnings were set at nought by the council.